Pro-democracy legislator guilty of desecrating Hong Kong and China flags
Cheng Chung-tai fined HK$5,000 for flipping over the small flags, saying his conviction is a reminder that the city’s society is ‘not an open, democratic and liberal one’
A localist Hong Kong lawmaker was found guilty on Friday of desecrating the small Chinese and Hong Kong flags that he flipped over at the Legislative Council last year, and fined HK$5,000.
Cheng Chung-tai, of pro-democracy party Civic Passion, said the case was “ridiculous” and his conviction a reminder that the city’s society is “not an open, democratic and liberal one”.
He was convicted after trial of one count of desecration of the national flag and another count over the regional flag, both of which he had denied. He was fined HK$2,500 per charge.
That was for upending miniature flags which lawmakers from the pro-establishment Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) had displayed on their desks in the Legco chamber, on October 19.
When the pro-establishment bloc staged a walkout, Cheng went to their desks and upended the flags.